M. Martin Torres LLC Agriculture & Environmental Services
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Hydrology

In the desert, water is the limit. Las Cruces gets 8 to 9 inches of rain a year; a mature pecan orchard in the Mesilla Valley is irrigated with about 50 inches more, from the Rio Grande through EBID and from wells. We help every acre-foot reach the root zone, at the right time and with the right quality.

Where the water goesSchematic

WaterKernel fillingDrag to turn the orchard

Where the water goes Schematic, not to scale. Canal water from the Rio Grande and water from a well flood the orchard rows, soak down to the roots and rise through the trees to the leaves and the nuts, while the hot, dry air takes water from the leaves. 1 2 3 4 5 6

Water for one acre of mature pecans, in a year

Rain8–9 in
Irrigationabout 50 in

Canal (EBID): 24 inWells: 26 in

  1. 1

    River and canal Rio Grande water arrives through EBID canals, in an allotment that changes from year to year.

  2. 2

    Wells They make up what the canal does not deliver, and their water is tested for salts.

  3. 3

    The rows Flood irrigation fills the rows. Even coverage decides whether every tree gets its share.

  4. 4

    Root zone Water soaks down to the roots. Soil moisture says when the next irrigation is due.

  5. 5

    Leaves and air The tree pulls water up to its leaves, and the hot, dry air takes much of it.

  6. 6

    The nut In August and September the kernel fills; a short supply then shows in the harvest.

Schematic, not to scale. Rain: NMSU Climate Guide for Las Cruces. Irrigation: NMSU sample pecan budget for the Mesilla Valley (2024), with canal water cut to 24 inches by drought and the rest pumped.

What we assess

Well and irrigation-system assessments, soil-water monitoring, water quality, drainage and conservation-oriented irrigation planning, for orchards and field crops. Packages are quoted after we review your acreage, wells, irrigation method and records.

  • Canal water and wellsEBID delivery dates and volumes, well pumping when the canal runs short, and the season’s allotment, lined up with soil moisture and each field’s water signal.
  • SystemsFlood, drip and pivot: delivery, pressure and uniformity.
  • Water qualityIrrigation-water chemistry at every irrigation, or when the source changes.
  • Soil moistureRoot-zone readings so irrigation timing follows the soil, not the calendar.
Ask about a water assessment
A pressure gauge on a center-pivot riser, its face fogged over so the needle is barely readable
Maintenance

Older equipment, reviewed and kept working. A gauge nobody can read hides pressure problems, so it is fixed first.

A pivot drop nozzle dripping over dry ground
Drop nozzle

Uniformity starts at each nozzle.

How a system is checked

From the well to the root zoneSchematic
An irrigation system from the well to the root zone, with the six points we check Water table 1 ft 2 ft Well & pump Filter Fertilizer injector Orchard row Phone Gateway 1 2 3 4 5 6
  1. 1

    Water quality Salinity, sodium and pH at the source, at every irrigation or when it changes.

  2. 2

    Pressure and flow At the pump and along the line. Old gauges and valves are reviewed first.

  3. 3

    Fertilizer injector Calibrated, so what goes in matches the plan.

  4. 4

    Uniformity Emitter by emitter or nozzle by nozzle: is water reaching the whole block as the system was designed?

  5. 5

    Soil moisture At 1 and 2 ft, before each irrigation.

  6. 6

    The tree’s response Sap after irrigation, leaf tissue twice a season.

  • Pressure and flow sensors on the line: a sudden drop points to a leak or a clogged filter.
  • Soil-moisture probes at 1 and 2 ft show, through the day, when the root zone starts to dry.
  • A small weather station logs rain and evaporation for the irrigation schedule.
  • A gateway could send the readings to a phone, so a reading out of range is seen between visits.

Pivot, drip or flood: the same six checks apply. Sensors would add readings between visits, where they pay off.

Equipment and supplies

Where to get the sensors and parts mentioned above. All of them sell online.

We may earn a commission on purchases made through these links, at no extra cost to you.

From field visits

A center pivot span over a bare field under a blue sky
Center pivot

Pressure and uniformity decide whether water reaches the whole field as the system was designed.

Digital flow meter mounted inside the blue box of a fertilizer injector
Fertilizer injector

Every application is sampled and recorded, so we know what actually went in.

White crust built up around a fitting on a red pivot riser
Pivot riser

White crust on the riser. A water test tells you what it is and what it does to the soil.

A hand holding a dry clod of soil taken from a field
Root zone

Soil texture changes how often a field needs water.

Request a farm visit.

Tell us where the farm is, what you grow, how many acres and how it is irrigated. We will follow up with a proposal.

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Southern New Mexico & West Texas
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© 2026 M. Martin Torres LLC · Precision Nutrient & Water Management Independent business, not affiliated with USDA or NRCS

Disclaimer. We review and update this site regularly to keep it accurate, and we add improvements based on your suggestions. If anything is unclear or looks wrong, please contact us. Rates and services are confirmed in each written proposal.